Dr. Alejandro Cornejo, Assistant Research Professor at CIMNE, has been awarded the Juan Carlos Simó Award for Young Researchers 2026 by the Spanish Society of Computational Mechanics and Computational Engineering (SEMNI). Granted annually since 1999, this distinction recognises early-career researchers in the field of numerical methods in engineering and computational mechanics.
The accolade, decided by an international ad hoc committee of prominent researchers appointed by SEMNI’s Executive Committee, distinguishes experts with a solid academic track record, a significant record of high-quality publications, and clear leadership potential. It is one of the most prestigious accolades for young researchers in the discipline within the Spanish scientific community.
The prize will be formally presented to Dr. Cornejo at the Congress on Numerical Methods in Engineering (CMN 2026), to be held in Gijón, Spain, on 1–3 July 2026 — a biennial event jointly organised by SEMNI and the Portuguese Association of Theoretical, Applied and Computational Mechanics (APMTAC).
Dr. Cornejo’s research centres on nonlinear solid mechanics, fracture mechanics, constitutive modelling, and fluid–structure interaction, with a particular focus on the coupled Finite Element–Discrete Element Method (FEM-DEM) approach combined with adaptive remeshing techniques. His work addresses complex industrial and structural problems including composite materials, computational contact mechanics, and the simulation of large deformations involving fracturing solids and free-surface fluid flows.
Dr. Cornejo holds an active role as Assistant Research Professor in two of CIMNE’s research clusters: Aeronautical, Marine, Automotive and Energy Engineering and Large Scale Multiphysics Computationsm a testimony to the cross-cutting nature of his research.
“This recognition is a testament to the quality and relevance of Dr. Cornejo’s research, which bridges multiple engineering domains and computational methodologies,” said Prof. Javier Bonet, General Director of CIMNE. “It reflects the kind of ambitious, cross-disciplinary scientific work that CIMNE strives to foster.”
SEMNI is an independent scientific association dedicated to the promotion and development of computational mechanics and computational engineering in Spain. Although independent, SEMNI is managed by CIMNE through its Congress Bureau, which provides administrative and organisational support for the society’s activities and events.
Dr. Cornejo
